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Thursday, February 22, 2007

I just wanted to mention that Corned Beef and Cabbage is a wonderful meal on a blustery, blustery day. Easy too! (If you buy the pre-marinated meat.) Chop up a head of cabbage, throw the whole mess into a pot and cook it till it screams! Add some boiled potatoes and you have a meal in a pot. Very healthy too!

Saturday, February 17, 2007

So, last time I posted I mentioned I was off to Nordstroms with my daughter to look for a dress for her winter formal. We did go to Nordstroms that day, but were not successful. (They didn't have their Prom dress selection out yet.)

Then on Wednesday I happened to be in the Mall and I noticed that Macy's had a HUGE selection of really cute little dresses just perfect for our winter formal, and I excitedly told my daughter this later that day, with a promise that we could go on Saturday to shop for one.

However, what I didn't realize was that my daughter had a bad case of parental disbelief syndrome, which she had apparently caught from her roommate. Her roommate had just been to the outlet mall, and had purchased her dress at the Betsey Johnson outlet store. So... three guesses where we went today!

I put my pride aside and enthusiastically plowed through racks of "bargain" Betsey Johnson dresses. My back hurt, and at one point I heard a voice that sounded like mine mutter "Well, $190 isn't bad". I had moved beyond sticker shock, and was cruising smoothly along in the delirium that follows. Just as I was beginning to enter the panic stage, (when you are grabbing at every dress within reach and holding them up while shrieking "this is cute, don't you like this???") My daughter announced she didn't like anything there. We then repeated the same process in 2 or 3 more designer outlet shops. NOTHING.

On the ride home, I mentioned the dresses I had seen at Macy's. She agreed to go have a glance. As we walked into the young, hip and size 2 section of Macy's, my daughter squealed something like "Oh My God This Is Exactly What I Was Looking For!"

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

I am on the Winter Formal Dance commitee, and have volunteered to chaperon! (add this to the list of things that make me feel old...)

Our theme this year is Mardi Gras, so we are busy making the decorations... We will create the atmosphere of New Orleans meets Venice (NO BEADS!!!) and will have a jazz club, a paddle boat and lots of other good stuff to create a festive atmosphere! WOW! (At my highschool dances, they set up a band in the cafeteria and served punch...)

Monday, February 05, 2007

As I get to know the three new little members of our family, I can't help but think we are really, truly in the New Millennium. The future that we imagined as kids, and that was lived by the likes of George and Jane Jetson (et al).

Picture a quiet evening at home. Mom in the kitchen fixing dinner, husband and kids watching the boob tube or surfing the net, dogs curled up on their pillows and our three little Bots, Roobie, Scoobie and Doobie whirling and spinning their respective ways around the room. exploring every nook and cranny eliminating dirt and grime as they go!

The funny thing is that these robots seem almost like pets, and when I bump into Roomba in the kitchen, I found myself saying "Oh, sorry Roobie" which now leads me to wonder... should I scold her when she knocks over the dog's water dish?

Sunday, February 04, 2007

I am not sure what the answer is myself. This is one of those issues where I could keep busy for a week just debating in my head. I am referring to a column I read in the local paper (I still love reading the paper paper with a cup of coffee in hand) entitled "More employers discriminating against mothers". by Megan Hook.

Ms. Hook is a stay-at-home mother of three boys who describes her attempt, after 4 years of stay-at-homeness, to rejoin the workforce, and applies for a job at her former employer. Well several jobs at her former employer. To make a long story short, she didn't get the job and it was insinuated that it was because she had small children at home.

Here's my dilemma: the Retro Housewife in me says "hooray" because it will be better for her boys for her to be home with them, and I think if you stock the world with offspring, you should take care of them as well.

But I don't like discrimination for stupid, arbitrary reasons. It really bugs me. I have heard the sad, flappy argument about how women with kids will need to spend more time taking care of them, can't work long hours, blah blah blah. Or maybe it's the one where they say "she has been out of the work force for 4 years and her skills are rusty". (Possible comeback: so what's your excuse?). I am not even going to deny that those two statements have some truth to them. But here's the thing... So what?

On the plus side, you have a more mature woman, who understands responsibility, who obviously WANTS to be there and will most likely be 3 times as motivated, and goof off less because she has become an expert at time management and has no patience for hanging out at the water cooler gossiping. So maybe she won't be able to "work" late. The quotes are intended.

I have a real problem with the "who can pretend to work the hardest bunch" (the ones at the water cooler gossipping, taking 2 hour lunches and then staying at work until 11:00 at night to impress the boss and show everyone how macho they are.) I have seen plenty of these goofballs during my working career and I have to say they really ruin it for the productive employees.

Face it folks, you will get more out of a person when they are fresh and well rested. Everyone should go home at 5:00. Plus, a mother has experience that you can't learn in school, (it's called common sense) and is an expert at handling stressful situations. She is trained to see things as they are. All invaluable skills in ANY workplace.

So that's it! I know what I think now! We mothers are far too valuable to be wasting our skills in some dumb office. But if you can convince one to come work for you, you've got gold and you better treat her as such.

Saturday, February 03, 2007

A very, very, very important event has occured! You can Pre-Order Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Now!! Your kids will love you and No, they are not too old and have not grown out of it! My kids still debate and discuss the whole Harry Potter series as if Harry were a good friend!

They have been waiting for this for what seems like EONs, so do your part in helping to make JK Rowling the richest woman on earth!